Christmas is often characterised as the season of excess, when that second mince pie and glass of mulled wine are all the more tempting, especially when everyone else is getting into the spirit of things. If you’re worried about the festive season derailing your healthy habits, it might be a good time to treat yourself to a little health-focussed R&R, and a detox retreat can be one of the best ways to get a fresh start. Read on for our top picks of the best luxury detox retreats around the world for those looking to start their New Year’s resolutions a little early.

Marbella may be better-known as a party destination, but the azure waters and surrounding hills make this the perfect outdoor playground for a fitness enthusiast. Cleanse & Purify detox retreats are designed to gently detox guests, improve energy levels and leave them feeling happier, healthier and recharged for the year to come. Probiotics are incorporated into the programme to help aid the body’s natural ability to detox while nourishing plant-based cuisine keeps energy levels high. Programmes include thrice-daily meals, daily fitness classes and unlimited spa access. To end each day, guests are also treated to a glass of wine with dinner; proof that it can’t allbe hard work.

Nestled among seven acres of tropical gardens, this Hua Hin resort makes for the perfect detox destination. The five-night Art of Detox retreat begins with a private wellness consultation, with standard inclusions such as a daily spa treatment and up to eight daily fitness classes. Bodies are nourished on a natural, cleansing diet, while lymphatic drainage massages and colonic hydrotherapy sessions aid the detoxifying process.

Kangaroo Island Health Retreat caters to guests aged between 18 and 59, offering gentle detox programmes. Its five-day Dynamic Detox retreat includes three nights of cleansing, followed by two days of reintroducing nutritional, healthy meals. It aims to lead retreat-goers into a lasting lifestyle change. Retreats are inclusive of all meals and snacks, as well as cooking classes, yoga and pilates sessions, and a series of nutritional lectures and nature walks to calm both body and mind.

This five-star facility on the island of Langkawi in Malaysia won the prestigious ‘Rainforest Spa of the Year’ award last year, and it’s clear to see why. Four-night detox programmes cater to guests’ every wellness wish, beginning with a consultation on how to live a more holistic lifestyle. Retreats are inclusive of gemstone facials, detox hair treatments, and private yoga and personal training. Rates are inclusive of lunch and dinner, as well as daily fitness and mindful sessions and a guided nature walk.

For a week of deep detoxification this Christmas, look no further than The Farm at San Benito. This five-star luxury resort 90-minutes south of Manila in The Philippines offers one of the best detox retreats in the world, with the comprehensive seven-night Detox and Cleanse Programme, which gives guests a physical and mental cleanse. The retreat includes five days of medically guided fasting, followed by two days of light meals from the Alive! restaurant menu. Combining detox therapies like colon hydrotherapy, kidney cleansing and skin brushing, with holistic activities like yoga and meditation, you’ll be feeling squeaky clean in and out by the end of the week.

This eco-healing resort in Uttarakhand, India is the perfect alternative to your typical winter wonderland retreat. The 14-night Retreat Detox programme includes a wellness consultation on arrival and departure, as well as nutritional wellness cuisine and healthy snacks. Private wellness treatments and sessions will help you find your fitness feet before the year’s end. In keeping with the concept of a cosy Christmas, plush pyjamas and winter accessories are on hand to give you that feeling of a home away from home.

In the hills above Nusa Dua, Bali surrounded by rainforest overlooking the ocean, Revīvō Wellness Resort offers guests some much-needed respite from the hustle and bustle of city life. Three-day retreats are tailor-made for guests, who are required to fill in a comprehensive wellness questionnaire prior to their arrival. Once at the resort, skin and blood tests as well as a body analysis help wellness practitioners identify how best to help you. Daily wellness treatments and up to thrice daily fitness activities will help you while away the time, while a complimentary retreat journal makes for the perfect place to record your experience.

Kamalaya provides a calm, tranquil sanctuary on the island of Koh Samui’s eastern edge. Seven-night Comprehensive Detox programmes are all-inclusive and begin with a wellness consultation and bio-impedance analysis. Once settled, your healthy holiday routine will include an essential oil massage, traditional massage, detoxifying remedies, and access to daily scheduled fitness sessions. Three colon hydrotherapy treatments and lymphatic drainage therapies will further aid the detoxification process, and on departure, you’ll receive a wellness gift pack to take home; it is Christmas, after all.

For the ultimate fitness-focused festive retreat, head to Thanyapura. This state-of-the-art health and wellness resort in Phuket, Thailand is spread across 23-hectares of land. Five-day detox retreatsare inclusive of health and dietary consultations, a body composition analysis, colon hydrotherapy sessions, and access to yoga, fitness and mindfulness sessions. Guests have access to the resort’s health and wellness facilities at their leisure, while all meals are based around a nutritional, detoxifying plan.

Set among 200 hectares of natural beauty in Tallebudgera Valley, Queensland, this Australian oasis offers guests the ultimate detox experience. The seven-night detox retreatincludes accommodation, and all meals and snacks are prepared by a team of nutritionally-conscious chefs who inspired the resort’s award-winning cookbook. Guests can enjoy two classic massages and a facial, access to scheduled wellness seminars, a health and wellbeing analysis, and $100 worth of wellness credit.

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The former Art & Culture editor at Time Out Hong Kong magazine, Amanda is a freelance lifestyle writer based in Asia's world city. Amanda grew up in Asia, loves hiking, stand up paddle boarding, and a day well spent outdoors. Her last holiday sunrise trekking along Indonesian volcanic landscapes gave her a taste of the healthy holiday bug, and she’s been on the lookout for her next great adventure ever since.